The present invention relates to a sequentially-accessed semiconductor memory device, and to a print recording material receptacle furnished with a sequentially-accessed semiconductor memory device.
Semiconductor memory devices, such as EEPROM for example, that permit only sequential access of data cells in a memory array are well known. Since such semiconductor memory devices are relatively inexpensive, they have come to be used as memory devices for holding information relating to receptacles containing consumable materials, for example. Data relating to usage history is a known example of information relating to receptacles containing consumable materials of this kind. While the nature of usage history data for a receptacle containing consumable material is to be updated in association with usage of the consumable material receptacle, in order for the usage history to be useful, there is a need to prevent to the usage history data from being modified by inadvertent overwriting.
However, data corruption can occur, for example, during transfer of data input to a semiconductor memory device, and in such instances even if the data is rewritten normally to the semiconductor memory device, erroneous information will be recorded to the semiconductor memory device. In the case of sequential access memory, since during accessing of a lower address accessing of data at an upper address is executed as well, in the event that a read/write command is reversed due to some outside disturbance or the like, there is a risk that data will be rewritten to an address that was not intended to be rewritten. Furthermore, since it is in the nature of usage history data to be updated or rewritten, it would be unacceptable to prohibit updating or rewriting.